


Look Over Here

by Astra_M



Series: The Scent of Grass and Flowers [5]
Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Humor, Kissing, Mind Games, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:54:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25954066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astra_M/pseuds/Astra_M
Summary: “All right, Ino.  By the end of the day, I’ll prove to you that I can make you do whatever I want… just by thinking about it.”
Relationships: Nara Shikamaru/Yamanaka Ino
Series: The Scent of Grass and Flowers [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883662
Kudos: 22





	Look Over Here

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written in November 2006

They were sitting on a bench during a hasty lunch, snatching a few minutes together before they each had to return to their duties. Their talk had somehow turned into a discussion about their respective techniques, and Ino found herself explaining the finer points of her Shinranshin no Jutsu to Shikamaru. Although she knew this wasn’t something she should be doing with someone outside of the family, Ino wasn’t worried. It was Shikamaru, after all.

“…and that’s basically how it’s done. Perform the hand signs and voila – you can make your target do whatever you want just by thinking about it!”

She stopped talking to take a gulp of tea while Shikamaru paused thoughtfully over his bowl of rice.

“I see. It’s essentially a specialized form of hypnosis… interesting.” Then he shrugged. “Huh. If that’s all there is to it, then it’s a piece of cake. I can do it, too.”

Ino almost choked on her tea. Putting the cup down, she threw him a withering look.

“No, you can’t – it’s a Yamanaka family specialty! Even you can’t pick it up just by hearing me explain it once! It takes a lot of practice, chakra, and a certain natural aptitude. My family has been perfecting it for generations.”

“But it’s hardly a bloodline trait, right? So theoretically anyone can do it.”

“Well… maybe,” Ino admitted reluctantly. “But that hardly means you can become an expert at it overnight!”

Shikamaru put his bowl down and cast a sidelong glance at Ino. 

“So… is that a challenge?”

Ino looked uncertainly at her teammate. Shikamaru had that special gleam in his eye as he regarded her, the one that meant he was looking forward to winning a battle. It gave her a moment’s pause. The truth was that she was in awe of his abilities and perhaps even just a little bit frightened of him – not that she would ever let him know that. Her pride wouldn’t allow it.

“Nara Shikamaru… there’s just no way. Even someone as… as smart as you can’t do that!”

His smirk transformed into an indecently pleased grin.

“All right, Ino. By the end of the day, I’ll prove to you that I can make you do whatever I want… just by thinking about it.”

“You’re bluffing…” protested Ino. Her voice, however, sounded unsure.

Shikamaru continued observing her coolly.

“And what’s more, I won’t use any hand signals to perform it – just my mind alone.”

At that Ino scoffed, her nervousness instantly vanishing.

“Ha! Now I know you’re crazy, Shikamaru. We both know you can’t do that.”

Shaking her head, Ino again reached out for her tea... when suddenly she felt a tingling sensation racing up her spine. Startled, she nearly knocked the cup over. 

Then there was a soft voice whispering in her ear.

“Are you sure about that?”

Ino shivered as she watched Shikamaru walking off, noting the cunning glint in his dark eyes. 

\----------

Ino was sitting at a table in the library later that afternoon, her mind only half attuned to the large textbook she was perusing. She was too preoccupied with wondering about Shikamaru’s declaration. Was it really possible? Could he actually pull off copying a moderately advanced jutsu in less than a day, using nothing but sheer willpower? It was absurd, and yet he seemed so sure of himself…

She suddenly noticed a prickling on the back of her neck. Looking up from the book, Ino obeyed a mysterious compulsion to turn around in her seat. Then with a shocked yelp, she swung around fully.

Shikamaru was sitting at the table directly behind her, a knowing smirk on his face. He merely arched a brow wryly at her outburst, raising a finger to his lips in a mock ‘shushing’ gesture.

Ino glared. Then with a haughty toss of her hair, she picked up her textbook and moved around to the other side of the table so that she was facing Shikamaru. Covertly watching him, she made a point to keep her eyes trained down on the text. But she really couldn’t concentrate on her book anymore.

\----------

An hour later, Ino was walking through the stacks. She had given up on sitting at the table – it was just too distracting keeping a certain black-haired boy in her peripheral vision. And she really needed to get some research done. She was struggling to balance three overlarge books and two scrolls in her arms, keeping her eyes peeled for a private alcove where she could safely hide herself away for awhile…

Look over here, Ino.

She jumped. The books and scrolls tumbled from her hands and hit the floor with a loud thud.

What was that? A voice in her head?

An impulse caused Ino to tilt her head towards the ceiling – and there she spotted Shikamaru looking down at her. He was standing on the half-floor above, leaning against the railing with his chin propped in his hand. An amused grin lit his face.

“Need a hand, Ino?”

“No thank you, Shikamaru.”

With several angry sniffs (and even more furtive glances up towards Shikamaru), Ino hastily gathered up her books and stalked away.

\----------

Another hour later found Ino wondering if she was slowly becoming paranoid. Or perhaps merely being driven insane. In either case, she knew precisely who was doing it to her… the annoying jerk.

Thanks to Shikamaru, she’d unwittingly become caught up in a game of cat and mouse. No sooner did she think herself safe when some hypersensitive sixth sense alerted her to his presence, usually when he was mere yards away. Up and down the aisles, behind the stacks, outside the carrels – wherever she went, she could feel him hovering nearby. And she was always responding by immediately searching him out…

Unfortunately, Ino still wasn’t sure if the compulsion was all in her head… or if it was all in his.

In either case, she’d been driven to complete distraction. Giving up entirely on getting any actual work done, Ino was now flitting through the giant stacks of scrolls in a subbasement. She was hoping to resurface somewhere near the front entrance and perhaps make a break for the courtyard, where at least she could put some open space between her and Shikamaru. And then she’d really let him have it –!

Look over here, Ino.

She ground to a halt. Shikamaru was leaning in the doorframe of the exit staircase, a smug grin on his face. Chagrined, Ino quickly backed up against the wall. She pointed a warning finger at him. It was time to call his bluff.

“It’s no use, Shikamaru! You can’t do anything if I can see what you’re up to – and you can’t employ your chakra effectively without using your hands!”

With a calm shrug, Shikamaru pulled his hands out of his pockets. Holding them up, he began to walk slowly towards Ino.

“But I already am using the jutsu, Ino. Ever since I left you at the cart today…” He smiled languidly as he drew closer. “I know you’ve been feeling it – I’ve seen how you’ve reacted every time I’ve used it this afternoon… just like right now.”

Ino gasped in realization: that strange prickling was again running up and down her body, setting her nerves tingling. Her eyes widened in shock.

“No… it’s impossible…! Your chakra – there’s just no way!”

She pressed herself helplessly against the wall, feeling strangely hypnotized as he came up next to her. Leaning over her, Shikamaru dropped his head until his mouth was next to her ear:

“Look at me, Ino,” he murmured.

Unthinkingly, Ino swiveled her face towards him – and quickly found her mouth engulfed by his. Her eyes fluttered shut as she lost herself in the pleasure of his ardent ministrations. After a heady moment, they broke apart.

“How did you do that?” Ino asked breathlessly.

Shikamaru grinned again.

“Call it a Nara family variation on a Yamanaka jutsu…” He leaned in to press his lips to hers again. “I just concentrated on getting you to kiss me.”


End file.
